Dark chocolate cups are one of my favorite go-to’s whenever a chocolate craving sets in. This time I decided to boost the nutrient content of this already-nutritious treat by filling the cups with moringa cashew cream. The richness of the dark chocolate is perfectly balanced by the light and fluffy cream nestled inside, yielding an irresistible treat full of healthy fats and nutrients that will keep you satiated and fill you up with energy.
The dark chocolate is made out of only 4 simple ingredients: raw cacao powder, coconut oil, pure maple syrup, and a dash of pink Himalayan sea salt. It has been scientifically proven that when used in sweets, salt can trigger the sensors on the tongue and make desserts and chocolate taste even sweeter (1). Therefore, you can get away with using smaller amounts of sweeteners than you normally would without sacrificing the taste.
Moringa leaf powder comes from the young, naturally-dried leaves of the moringa “Miracle Tree”. This tree, native to the Himalayas, is one of the most nutrient-dense plants on earth. The leaves are a concentrated source of a variety of vitamins, minerals, proteins, antioxidants, and omega oils that fuel the body and provide long-lasting calm energy (2,3).
I used Fera moringa in this recipe, which is a superior-quality organic moringa powder that acts as a natural all-in-one supplement. If you have not tried moringa before, I would say the taste is very similar to matcha. Adding 1-2 teaspoons of this superfood to cashew cream not only enhances the health benefits, but it also introduces a complexity of flavor and a gorgeous soft green hue.
You can either store these luscious chocolate cups in the fridge or the freezer. If you are like me and prefer a soft creamy center, then make sure to store them in the fridge. My husband, however, loves having them straight out of the freezer for an ice cream-like center. Either way, these delicious treats are a must-try in my opinion 😉 If you’re a fan chocolate cups, then I think you should also check out these super simple 5-ingredient peanut butter chocolate cups and these refreshingly fruity raspberry chocolate cups. Enjoy!
Chocolate Cups with Moringa Cashew Cream Recipe
Yields 9 muffin-sized pieces
Ingredients
Chocolate
- 1 cup unrefined coconut oil
- 1 cup raw cacao powder
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- Pinch of unrefined sea salt
Moringa Cashew Cream
- 2/3 cup raw cashews, soaked for 2 hours or longer {See Note}
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons Fera Moringa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
- Pinch of unrefined sea salt
Directions
- To make the chocolate: If your coconut oil is solid, add it to a small pan and let it melt over low heat
- Once melted, remove from heat, add cacao powder to the oil and mix well with a spoon until completely dissolved (no clumps remaining). Add maple syrup and sea salt and stir to combine
- Line a muffin tin with 9 muffin cases. Pour liquid chocolate into the cases and fill them up 1/4 way through. Transfer to the freezer or fridge for 5-10 minutes until the chocolate sets
- To make the moringa cashew cream: Rinse and drain the soaked cashews. Pour them into the blender with the rest of ingredients and blend until completely silky and smooth
- To assemble: Take out the tin, add about 2 teaspoons of the cashew cream in the middle of each cup and fill them up with the remaining liquid chocolate. Add more sea salt on top if desired
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes until set (or freeze them if you’re short of time) and enjoy! Store leftovers in the fridge or freezer
NOTE: If you forget to soak the cashews, bring some water to a boil, and cover cashews with hot water for around 15 minutes to soften. Then drain and use in the recipe.
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post, but all the opinions are 100% my own. I would never promote a product that I don’t personally use and love.
Do you know if refined coconut oil has minimal flavor? I wish I could find a coconut oil that had no flavor since my family detests even a faint hint of coconut! Yet it is needed to solidify as the desert is chilled. I know grape seed and olive oil probably don’t solidify when chilled as coconut oil does. I basically want to make something like this but have no flavor of coconut if that’s possible!
Yes, Alison! You can use refined coconut oil since it has much less “coconuty” flavor. Another option is to use cacao butter instead of coconut oil for the chocolate, which is great because it also makes the chocolate solid at room temperature 🙂